By simply connecting to Harvard's Virtual Private Network, you get the same world class security tools and protections that you get on campus. Let's compare these connections to see the benefits VPN provides.
Excellent: Connecting with Harvard's VPN
- Attackers can't see what websites and services you are using, only the connection to the VPN.
- Security updates and configurations are pushed down to your computer from Harvard easily.
- Unsafe websites are blocked.
Pretty Good : Connecting with Encryption (The little lock in the address bar)
- Attackers cannot see the content you send over the internet because it is encrypted.
- Attackers can see the places you connect and how much data you send.
- Your connections are vulnerable to interception attacks from sophisticated attackers.
Very Bad: Connecting without Encryption
- All content and connections are visible to attackers
- Connections can be intercepted to inject unsafe code and content into your browsing sessions.
- Thankfully, connecting without encryption is not possible for Harvard cloud services. Pay attention if you get a warning saying a connection is not encrypted when using other services.
Harvard's VPN is a benefit you won't want to miss out on. Visit vpn.harvard.edu or contact the service desk to get connected.
 | vpn-chart.pdf | 79 KB |